The Old Franciscan Missions Of California Part 21

At San Juan Capistrano, on the east side of the quadrangle, in the northeast corner, is a small room; and in one corner of this is a niche for a statue, the original decorations therein still remaining. It is weather-stained, and the rain has washed the adobe in streaks over some of it; yet it is interesting. It consists of a rude checkerboard design, or, rather, of a diagonal lozenge pattern in reds and yellows.

There are also a few remnants of the mural distemper paintings in the altar zone of the ruined church.

CHAPTER x.x.xVI

HOW TO REACH THE MISSIONS

SAN DIEGO. From Los Angeles to San Diego, Santa Fe Railway, 126 miles, one way fare $3.85; round trip $5.00, good ten days; or $7.00, good 30 days, with stop-over privileges at Oceanside, which allows a visit to San Luis Rey and Pala (via Oceanside) and San Juan Capistrano. Or steams.h.i.+p, $3.00 and $2.25; round trip, first cla.s.s, $5.25. The Mission is six miles from San Diego, and a carriage must be taken all the way, or the electric car to the bluff, fare five cents; thence by Bluff Road, on burro, two miles, fare fifty cents. The better way is to drive by Old Town and return by the Bluff Road.

SAN LUIS REY. From Los Angeles to Oceanside, Santa Fe Railway, 85 miles, fare $2.55; round trip, ten days, $4.60. Take carriage from livery, or walk to Mission, 4 miles. The trip to Pala may be taken at the same time, though sleeping accommodations are uncertain at Pala. Meals may be had at one or two of the Indian houses, as a rule.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO. From Los Angeles to Capistrano, Santa Fe Railway, 58 miles, fare $1.70. The Mission is close to the station. Hotel accommodations are poor.

SAN GABRIEL. From Los Angeles to San Gabriel, Southern Pacific Railway, 8 miles, fare 25 cents. Or Pacific electric car from Los Angeles, 25 cents.

SAN FERNANDO. From Los Angeles to San Fernando, Southern Pacific Railway, 21 miles, fare 65 cents. Thence by carriage or on foot or horseback to the Mission, 1 1/2 miles. Livery and hotel at San Fernando.

SAN BUENAVENTURA. From Los Angeles to San Buenaventura, Southern Pacific Railway, 76 miles, fare $2.30. Or steams.h.i.+p, $2.35, special, Sat.u.r.day to Monday, $3.00 round trip. Electric cars from Southern Pacific Station pa.s.s the Mission.

SANTA BARBARA. From Los Angeles to Santa Barbara, Southern Pacific Railway, fare $3.15; special round trip, Sat.u.r.day to Monday, $3.50. From San Francisco to Santa Barbara, 370 miles, Southern Pacific Railway, fare $13.40 and $11.65. Street car pa.s.ses the Mission.

SANTA INeS. This is not on the line of any railway. It can be reached from Santa Barbara, 25 miles, by carriage, or from Los Olivos, four miles, by stage. Los Olivos is on the line of the Pacific Coast Railway.

To reach it take Southern Pacific Railway to San Luis Obispo, change cars. It is then 66 miles to Los Olivos, fare $3.00. The better way is to go by Southern Pacific to Lompoc, take carriage and visit the site of Old La Purisima, then Purisima, then drive to Santa Ines and return.

With a good team this can be done in a day. Distance 25 miles.

LA PURiSIMA CONCEPCIoN. Go to Lompoc on the coast line of the Southern Pacific either from Los Angeles (181 miles, $5.60) or San Francisco (294 miles, $9.35). Carriage from livery to the ruins of Old Purisima, thence to the later one, five miles.

SAN LUIS OBISPO. Southern Pacific Railway from either Los Angeles (222 miles, $6.70) or San Francisco (253 miles, $7.30), or steams.h.i.+p to Port Hartford and the Pacific Coast Railway, 211 miles, $6.50. The Mission is in the town.

SAN MIGUEL. The Mission is but a few rods from the Southern Pacific Station, reached either from Los Angeles (273 miles, $8.05) or San Francisco (208 miles, $5.95). By far the better way, however, is to go to Paso Robles, where one can bathe in the Hot Springs so noted even in Indian days, while enjoying the hospitalities of one of the best hotels on the Pacific Coast. Carriages may be secured from one of the livery stables. From here visit Santa Isabel Ranch and Hot Springs (which used to belong to San Miguel), then drive 16 miles to San Miguel. On account of the completeness of its interior decorations, this is, in many respects, especially to the student, the most interesting Mission of the whole chain.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE CITY HALL, SANTA MONICA, CALIF.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: MISSION CHAPEL AT LOS ANGELES, FROM THE PLAZA PARK.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: RESIDENCE IN LOS ANGELES, CALIF. Showing influence of Mission style of architecture.]

SAN ANTONIO DE PADUA. It is a twenty-mile stage ride from King's City, on the line of the Southern Pacific (216 miles from Los Angeles, $9.35) to Jolon (fare $2.00), the quaintest little village now remaining in California, which is practically the gateway to Mission San Antonio de Padua. At Jolon one secures a team, and, after a six-mile drive through a beautiful park, dotted on every hand with majestic live-oaks,--ancient monarchs that have acc.u.mulated moss and majesty with their years,--the ruins of the old Mission come into view. From San Francisco to King's City is 164 miles, fare $4.65.

LA SOLEDAD. The Mission is four miles from the town of Soledad on the Southern Pacific Railway. From Los Angeles, 337 miles, fare $9.95. From San Francisco, 144 miles, fare $4.00. Livery from Soledad to the Mission.

SAN JUAN BAUTISTA is six miles from Sargent's Station on the Southern Pacific. Two stages run daily, fare $1.00 for the round trip. Visitors may be accommodated at the Plaza Hotel, conducted by William Haydon.

From Los Angeles to Sargent's, 394 miles, fare $11.65. From San Francisco, 87 miles, fare $2.35.

SAN CARLOS BORROMEO, MONTEREY. The old presidio church is in the town of Monterey, and reached by car-line from Hotel del Monte or the town. San Carlos Carmelo is about six miles from Monterey, and must be reached by carriage or automobile. By far the best way is to stop at either Hotel del Monte or Hotel Carmelo, Pacific Grove, and then on taking the seventeen-mile drive, make the side trip to San Carlos. To Monterey from San Francisco, on the Southern Pacific Railway, is 126 miles, fare $3.00. Friday to Tuesday excursion, round trip, $4.50. From Los Angeles to Monterey, Southern Pacific Railway, 398 miles, fare $11.45.

SANTA CRUZ. It is well to go from San Francisco on the narrow gauge, 80 miles, Southern Pacific, and return on the broad gauge, 121 miles. Fare on either line $2.80. On the narrow gauge are the Big Trees, at which an interesting stop-over can be enjoyed.

SANTA CLARA. While there is a city of Santa Clara it is better to go to San Jose (the first town established in California), and stay at Hotel Vendome, and then drive or go by electric car, down the old Alameda to Santa Clara Mission, 3-1/2 miles.

MISSION SAN JOSe. So called to distinguish it from the city of San Jose.

By Southern Pacific Railway from San Francisco to Irvington, 34 miles, fare 85 cents. Or from the city of San Jose, 14 miles by Southern Pacific, or a pleasant carriage drive. From Irvington to the Mission, three miles, stage twice daily, fare 25 cents.

SAN FRANCISCO DE ASIS is on Sixteenth and Dolores Streets, three miles from Palace Hotel. Take Valencia or Howard electric cars.

SAN RAFAEL. There is nothing left at San Rafael of the old Mission. The town is reached by North Pacific Coast Railway, 18 miles, or California Northwestern, 15 miles, fare 35 cents.

SAN FRANCISCO SOLANO is in the town of Sonoma. Reached by North Pacific Coast Railway, 43 miles, fare $1.00.

THE END.